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It’s time to shut down your pirate radio station, Jayhaed

December 12, 2009 @ 11:03 By: gordon Category: Amateur radio, In the news

Yesterday’s Ottawa Sun had an update on the pirate radio station being run by Jayhaed Saadé out of his dad’s business in Greely. Apparently, Saadé Jr. was being interviewed by the reporter when he found himself served with a second cease and desist notice.

“They’re telling me I have to take it down. I’m not taking it down,” he said Wednesday, minutes after the encounter.

This despite the fact that the letter from Industry Canada says he could face fines of $5000 a day and up to a year in jail. Absolutely incredible, not to mention stunningly stupid.

Georges Saadé, his father, finally seems to be realizing that they can’t win. According to Saadé Sr., both he and his wife have told Jayhaed to turn it off. Junior, it appears, is now not only ignoring cease and desist orders from Industry Canada, but also his parents.

“He’s hard-headed. He won’t do it,” Georges said Friday afternoon. “I know it’s not good for him to have it on anymore. I want him to turn it off.”

I’m not sure why this is such a hard thing to achieve. If his parents are really serious about him turning off the transmitter, they could flip the breakers, and if necessary get an electrician to completely disconnect the power.

What Junior doesn’t seem to realize is that the next time Industry Canada knocks at the door, it’ll probably be with police in tow and an order to surrender everything related to the operation of the pirate radio station, which could include Junior’s computers, mixers, the antenna, and everything else. And while he would probably have his computer returned and maybe the mixers, he won’t get the transmitter or antenna back. I’m not sure exactly how much it cost, but 2000 watt FM broadcast transmitters are not cheap.

I doubt he’s read my other posts about this, but maybe he’ll see this one: Hey Jayhaed, it’s one thing not to have any respect for the government, and another to not have any respect for your family. Have you thought about the impact a $5000/day fine would have on your family? What about if your dad has to do jail time because of your actions? It’s not worth it, kid. Turn off your illegal transmitter now and spare your family all this potential grief.

A tip o’ the hat to Bob (VA3QV) for writing about the story in the Ottawa Sun.

2 Responses to “It’s time to shut down your pirate radio station, Jayhaed”


  1. d bouchard says:

    This is so silly. Everybody we know now listens to this station.
    Mix 91.9 is by far the best station in ottawa canada.
    Keep up the great work and now going to sign your petitions.
    Not sure who started them, but you do have a legal leg to stand on.
    What would the internet be if you can’t broadcast your ideas?
    The world has changed.
    Hard to believe but i can get live fox news on my laptop! Yes i’m kidding about the news part.Though it is entertaining somebody believes this stuff.
    Sounds like your pissed at the saade family? Got tossed out of the club there Gordon?

    • gordon says:

      Exactly what “legal leg” does he have to stand on? None that I’m aware of.

      He knows he is breaking the law because he has been given two cease-and-desist orders by Industry Canada.

      He is stealing from the artists whose music he is playing on air.

      He is not respecting Canadian content regulations.

      He is breaking the law. It’s really that simple.

      The Internet has nothing to do with this and the fact that you can get live Fox News on your laptop is neither here nor there.

      I have never had any contact with the Saadé family or its businesses that I’m aware of. Given the extreme lack of respect for the law that they’ve shown, it’s unlikely that I ever will.


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  1. gordon.dewis.ca | An update on Ottawa’s pirate radio station (December 17, 2011 @ 11:33)
  2. gordon.dewis.ca | An update on Ottawa’s pirate radio station (December 17, 2011 @ 11:33)

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